Quote by Henry David Thoreau
When I hear the hypercritical quarreling about grammar and style, the position of the particles, etc., etc., stretching or contracting every speaker to certain rules of theirs. I see that they forget that the first requisite and rule is that expression shall be vital and natural, as much as the voice of a brute or an interjection: first of all, mother tongue; and last of all, artificial or father tongue. Essentially your truest poetic sentence is as free and lawless as a lamb's bleat.
Summary
This quote emphasizes the importance of prioritizing natural and vital expression over rigid rules of grammar and style. The author criticizes those who nitpick over minute details such as the positioning of particles, highlighting that they overlook the fundamental requirement that language should be organic and authentic. The quote suggests that the most authentic poetic sentences are unrestricted and uninhibited, akin to the free and spontaneous sound of a lamb's bleat. In essence, the quote champions the idea that language should be a reflection of one's mother tongue and true expression, rather than a constrained and artificial construct.
Topics
Grammar
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